THE  WAR  WITH  SPAIN. 


PROCEEDINGS 


OF  THE 


AT   ITS 


ONE  HUNDRED  AND  THIRTIETH  ANNUAL  MEETING, 


Held  May  5tti,    1898. 


NEW-YORK  ; 
PKES8    OP    THE    CHAMBER    OF    COMMERCE. 

1898. 


THE  \VAR   WITH   SPAIN. 


PROCEEDINGS 


OF   THE 


AT    ITS 


ONE  HUNDRED  AND  THIRTIETH  ANNUAL  MEETING, 


Held  May   5th,    1898. 


NEW-  YORK: 
PRESS    OF    THE    CHAMBER    OF    COMMERCE. 

1898. 


E.7.3,1 


>\i  r"  i  ."•'!•••  *•  •  •• 


THE  WAR  WITH  SPAIN. 


PROCEEDINGS 


OF  THE 


CHAMBER  OF  COMMERCE  OF  THE  STATE  OF  NEW-YORK, 

AT   ITS 

ONE  HUNDRED  AND  THIRTIETH  ANNUAL  MEETING, 

Held   May   5th,    1898. 
Mr.  ALEXANDER  E.  ORR,  President,  in  the  Chair. 


REMARKS    OF    MR.    ORR. 

ON  calling  the  Chamber  to  order,  Mr.  ORR  said  : 

GENTLEMEN  :  At  our  last  meeting  of  a  month  ago  we  unanimously 
endorsed  the  conservative  action  of  that  honored  and  trusted 
statesman,  the  President  of  the  United  States,  [applause,]  who 
recognized  our  action  through  his  Secretary  by  the.  following 
letter  : 

EXECUTIVE  MANSION, 

Washington,  April  9,  1898. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR  :  The  President  is  in  receipt  of  the  telegram  of 
the  7th  instant,  embodying  preamble  and  resolution  recently  adopted 
by  the  New- York  Chamber  of  Commerce. 

"  In  the  President's  behalf  I  beg  that  you  will  accept  for  yourself, 
and  the  members  of  your  organization,  the  assurance  of  his  cordial 


appreciation  of  this  expression  of  confidence  and  support,  which  is 
very  encouraging  to  him. 

Very  truly  yours, 

(Signed,)         JOHN  ADDISON  PORTER, 

Secretary  to  the  President" 
Mr.  ALEXANDER  E.  ORR, 

President  Chamber  of  Commerce, 
....:   :  New- York,  N.  Y. 


*  •   r  •   •**   •*»        *  •         •      '  « 

•  •/•  V;  •.-    oiiwft •th.efr  this  country  has  been  makimg  history  at  a  rapid  pace. 

Commodore  DEWEY  has  a  very  prominent  niche  in  it,  [applause,] 
and  we  are  brought  face  to  face  with  the  realities,  the  responsibilities 
and  the  sacrifices  incident  to  war. 

The  question  is  not  now  whether  our  intervention  in  behalf  of 
Cuba  is  defensive  or  aggressive,  wise  or  imprudent,  equitable  or 
unjust,  for  the  season  of  controversy  is  past,  and  there  can  be  no 
backward  movement  ;  [applause  ;]  but  what  is  incumbent  upon  us 
in  our  associate  capacity,  from  the  standpoint  of  conditions  as  they 
exist  to-day  ? 

The  records  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  contain  many  instances 
of  patriotic  action  and  loyal  expression  in  times  of  national  anxiety 
or  grave  emergency.  They  also  give  evidence  of  abiding  confi 
dence  in  the  good  sense  and  good  faith  of  the  American  people, 
and  a  firm  belief  in  the  magnificent  destiny  guaranteed  to  this 
country  through  an  inherited  birthright  so  nobly  won  by  the 
founders  of  this  Republic  a  little  more  than  a  century  ago.  [Ap 
plause.] 

The  commercial,  the  financial  and  the  industrial  interests  of 
New-York,  centred  in  this  Chamber,  have  been  always  first  in  corn 
ing  to  the  front,  to  uphold  the  hands  of  constituted  authority,  to 
maintain  the  honor  and  dignity  of  the  nation  and  the  rights  and 
privileges  of  American  citizenship,  and  this  they  stand  ever  ready 
to  repeat  when  just  occasion  demands  it.  [Applause.] 

Many  of  our  older  members  will  recollect  the  beginning  of  the 
Civil  War  of  1861,  and  how  the  patriotic  action  of  this  Chamber, 
in  those  dark  days,  was  stimulated  and  guided  by  the  wise  counsels 
of  our  affectionately  remembered  associate,  A.  A.  Low.  [Ap 
plause.] 

Bearing  this  in  mind,  I  have  asked  his  son,  our  fellow  member, 
the  honored  President  of  Columbia  University,  to  prepare  resolu- 


tions  in  conformity  with  our  traditional  loyalty,  which  he  has 
kindly  done,  and,  if  there  is  no  objection,  the  general  order  of  busi 
ness  will  be  suspended  for  a  short  time  in  order  that  he  may  present 
them  to  you  for  your  approval.  [Great  applause.] 

SPEECH  OF  THE  HON.  SETH  LOW,  PRESIDENT  OF  COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY. 

MR.  PRESIDENT  AND  GENTLEMEN  OF  THE  CHAMBER  OF  COM 
MERCE  :  I  feel  it  a  privilege  and  an  honor  to  present  to-day  this  pre 
amble  and  these  resolutions  for  the  consideration  of  the  Chamber  : 

Whereas,  The  people  of  the  United  States,  by  the  almost  unani 
mous  action  of  their  Government,  are  at  war  with  Spain  for  the 
purpose  of  securing  for  the  people  of  Cuba  a  free  and  stable 
government ;  and 

Whereas,  Every  instinct  of  humanity  and  patriotism  demands 
that,  in  such  a  controversy,  the  people  sustain  the  Government 
with  all  their  power  ;  therefore,  be  it 

Resolved,  That  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  the  State  of  New- 
York,  mindful  of  its  own  loyal  and  patriotic  past,  hereby  pledges 
its  unqualified  and  hearty  support  to  the  President  and  Congress 
of  the  United  States  in  the  conduct  of  the  war.  [Applause.] 

Resolved,  That  the  Chamber  will  willingly  and  heartily  bear 
its  share  of  the  common  burdens,  whatever  they  may  be,  to  the 
end  that  such  a  peace  may  speedily  be  obtained  as  will  enure  to  the 
benefit  of  our  Cuban  neighbors,  and  to  the  domestic  quiet  and 
prosperity  of  the  United  States.  [Applause.] 

Resolved,  That  a  Committee  of  thirty  members,  of  which  the 
President  of  the  Chamber  shall  be  Chairman,  be  appointed  to  take 
such  action  as  may,  from  time  to  time,  be  necessary,  in  order  to 
give  to  this  action  of  the  Chamber  its  greatest  possible  efficiency 
and  value. 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  and  congratulations  of  the  Chamber 
be  offered  to  Commodore  DEWEY  and  the  gallant  officers  and  crews 
of  the  Asiatic  squadron,  who,  by  one  blow,  struck  under  circum 
stances  of  peculiar  heroism,  have  relieved  our  Pacific  coast  from 
fear  of  attack,  freed  our  merchant  ships  in  the  East  from  dread  of 
capture,  and  while  adding  new  lustre  to  the  brilliant  annals  of  the 


American   navy,   have   helped   importantly   to    shorten    the   war. 
[Great  applause.] 

ME.  PRESIDENT  :  The  record  of  this  Chamber  for  supporting  the 
Government  in  times  of  difficulty  and  danger  is  a  record  of  which 
every  member  may  be  justly  proud.  I  am  confident  that  now,  no  less 
than  on  former  occasions,  this  Chamber  wishes  to  do  its  whole  duty 
as  a  patriotic  and  loyal  body.  It  is  easy  to  understand  the  feeling 
of  dazed  surprise  which  overspread  the  mercantile  and  financial 
community  when  it  found  itself  suddenly  called  upon  to  face  the 
serious  embarrassments  and  possible  dangers  of  a  war  with  a  mari 
time  power  over  a  question  that  had  not  come  very  near  to  its  own 
life.  As  long  as  there  was  a  hope  of  bringing  about  a  permanent 
settlement  of  the  questions  in  dispute  by  peaceful  means,  it  was 
natural  and  becoming  that  the  influence  of  this  Chamber  should 
have  been  thrown  strongly  into  the  scale  in  favor  of  a  solution  of 
the  problem  by  the  resources  of  diplomacy.  But,  for  loyal  Ameri 
cans,  the  day  has  gone  by  for  the  discussion  of  that  aspect  of  the 
trouble,  except  as  an  historical  question.  [Applause.]  Our  appeal 
has  been  taken  "  to  the  considerate  judgment  of  mankind  ;"  and  his 
tory  never  renders  her  verdict  until  time  has  illuminated  and  tested 
events.  In  the  meanwhile,  this,  at  least,  may  be  said, — that  neither 
the  Spanish  Premier  nor  our  own  President  desired  war  ;  and  yet, 
neither  of  them  could  avoid  war.  I  have  heard  it  said,  never 
theless,  in  many  quarters,  that  the  war  is  needless,  and  ought  to 
have  been  avoided.  In  the  same  way  it  was  said  to  me,  not  many 
months  ago,  that  our  Civil  War  was  needless,  and  ought  to  have  been 
avoided.  Statements  like  these,  in  view  of  the  event,  seem  to  me  to 
carry  but  little  weight.  The  fact  is  that  war  has  not  been  avoided, 
and  the  reason  why  is  not  far  to  seek.  Events  beyond  our  control 
have  created  in  both  countries  a  public  feeling  which  has  rendered 
the  people  of  each  country,  for  the  time  being,  probably  incapable 
of  doing  full  justice  to  the  other.  Under  these  circumstances  war 
has  come  ;  and,  in  view  of  these  circumstances,  it  seems  to  me  it 
may  justly  be  said  that  war  was  inevitable.  For  myself,  I  believe 
that  history  will  sustain  the  attitude  taken  by  the  United  States. 
[Applause.]  Spain  has  shown  herself  a  cruel  mother  to  Cuba  and 
a  bad  neighbor  to  us,  and  the  most  earnest  opponent  of  the  war 
can  point  to  no  circumstance  in  Spain's  long  dealings  with  her 
colonies,  to  justify  a  hope  that  under  her  dominion  the  history  of 
Cuba  in  the  future  would  in  any  way  differ  materially  from  what 
it  has  been  in  the  past.  I  firmly  believe,  therefore,  that  the  United 


States,  in  this  contest,  is  fighting  the  battle  of  humanity  and  the 
battle  of  civilization.  And  may  God  speed  the  right.  [Great  ap 
plause.] 

Mr.  President,  I  move  the  adoption  of  the  resolutions. 

REMARKS    OF    EX- GOVERNOR   LEVI    P.    MORTON. 

MR.  PRESIDENT  :  I  only  rise  to  second  the  motion  which  has 
been  made  for  the  adoption  of  the  resolutions  submitted  by  Presi 
dent  Low,  which,  I  am  sure,  will  meet  with  the  hearty  approval  of 
every  member  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce.  [Applause.] 

SPEECH    OF   MR.    WILLIAM    E.    DODGE. 

MR.  PRESIDENT  :  You  are  good  enough  to  ask  me  to  say  a  word 
in  support  of  the  resolutions,  which  have  my  hearty  approval. 

At  our  last  meeting  we  earnestly  hoped  and  believed  that  the 
wise,  patriotic  and  statesmanlike  action  of  our  President  and  of  his 
Cabinet  might  prevent  the  horrors  and  evils  of  war.  That  hope 
we  have  lost  and  the  war  is  upon  us.  Providence  has  worked 
stronger  and  faster  than  we  had  anticipated,  and  our  duty  now  is 
plain  and  clear.  We  must  support  the  President  in  his  trying 
position,  and  stand  behind  him  with  the  force  of  public  sentiment, 
and  with  all  the  help  and  vigor  that  we  can  give  him. 

There  are  some  very  peculiar  things  about  this  war.  Since  the 
Crusades  I  do  not  remember  a  war  quite  so  unique  in  its  character. 
We  have  absolutely  nothing  to  gain.  It  is  an  unselfish  war.  We 
have  taken  our  places  in  the  front  rank  of  civilized  nations,  and 
believe  that  we  have  a  duty,  as  a  part  of  the  police  of  the  world,  to 
keep  order  and  to  prevent  the  cruelties  and  wickedness  which  have 
brought  untold  sufferings  to  our  nearest  neighbors.  We  have  met 
the  responsibility,  and  the  duty  is  before  us.  I  believe  that  God,  in 
his  goodness,  is  behind  the  nation,  and  agree  with  President  Low, 
that  sad,  dark  and  mysterious  as  it  may  seem  to  us  now,  history 
will  vindicate  our  course,  and  that  the  progress  of  the  world,  and 
especially  of  the  Western  Hemisphere,  will  be  so  increased  and 
embraced  that  we  will  see  by  and  by  its  wisdom. 

This  Chamber  has  always  stood  for  the  firm  support  of  the  Gov 
ernment  in  all  times  of  trial.  Through  the  days  of  the  Revolution 
and  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  through  all  the  trials  that  have 
corne  to  us,  this  Chamber  has  stood  firmly  and  vigorously  behind 
the  Government. 


Those  of  us  who  have  read  the  records  of  the  Chamber  of  Com 
merce  will  be  interested  to  go  back  and  find  the  hearty  sympathies 
of  this  people  with  those  European  nations  who  intervened  in 
Greece  and  secured  its  independence.  All  of  us  who  were  boys 
shortly  afterwards,  remember  with  what  pride  we  used  to  repeat  at 
our  school  exhibitions  the  poem  about  MARCO  BOZARRIS,  and  the 
whole  world  vindicated  the  -position  taken  at  that  time  by  the 
Powers  who  freed  Greece. 

We  were  full  of  indignation  a  few  years  ago  because  the  Chris 
tian  powers  of  the  world  did  not  promptly  interfere  to  prevent  the 
terrible  atrocities  in  Bulgaria,  and  for  the  last  two  or  three  years 
our  hearts  have  been  harrowed  by  the  fearful  cruelties  of  Turkey  in 
Armenia,  and  we  wondered  that  the  Christian  nations  of  Europe 
had  not  interfered.  And  now  that  like  responsibilities  and  duties 
have  come  to  us,  and  Providence  has  led  us  to  assume  them,  we 
hope  and  believe  that  every  member  of  this  Chamber,  and  all  the 
citizens  of  New- York,  will  be  heartily  in  favor  of  strengthening 
and  invigorating  every  power  of  the  Government,  so  that  it  may 
be  a  short,  eharp  and  decisive  war.  [Applause.] 

There  is  one  single  thing  I  want  to  say,  if  I  may  be  allowed,  Mr. 
President,  and  that  is  this  :  The  character  of  the  young  men 
who  volunteer  in  this  country  is  so  different  from  every  other 
country  in  the  world  that  it  gives  a  very  peculiar  interest  to  any 
movement  such  as  we  are  confronted  with  now.  They  are  not  the 
class  of  men  that  take  the  Queen's  shilling  and  fill  the  ranks  of  the 
English  army.  They  are  not  the  class  of  men  who  are  conscripted 
in  the  agricultural  regions  of  France  and  Germany.  They  are  the 
very  flower  of  our  manhood,  the  most  vigorous,  able  and  best 
young  men  in  the  country,  who  volunteer  and  crowd  the  recruiting 
offices  for  the  opportunity  to  bleed  and  die,  if  it  need  be,  for  their 
country.  The  whole  community  is  in  sympathy  with  them.  I 
passed  yesterday  through  a  large  New-England  town  where  a 
battery  of  artillery  raised  in  the  town  were  going  to  the  station 
to  proceed  to  the  camp  of  instruction.  The  whole  country  was  out. 
There  must  have  been  ten  or  twenty  thousand  people.  As  far  as 
you  could  see,  in  every  direction,  were  men,  women  and  children  ; 
mothers  with  their  little  children  ;  boys  from  their  schools  ;  and  it 
is  so  everywhere.  The  whole  country  is  behind  the  President  at 
this  time,  and  it  argues  well  for  our  success. 

I  think  we  are  going  to  need  some  business  management  and 
helpfulness.  That  is  one  reason  why  I  hope  this  Chamber  will  cor 
dially  back  up  the  Government.  I  was  crossing  Long  Island  ferry 


the  other  day  when  regiments  were  on  their  way  to  Heinpstead. 
Of  course  the  regular  members  of  the  regiments  were  in  good 
shape,  and  had  their  overcoats  and  blankets,  but  there  was  a  very 
large  number  of  recruits  without  any  blankets  and  without  any 
overcoats,  with  their  small  possessions  wrapped  up  in  paper  parcels 
under  their  arms,  and  when  they  got  to  Hempstead  Plains,  and 
found  that  the  Commissary  and  Quartermaster's  departments  were 
behind  them  and  not  before  them,  that  they  had  no  straw  to 
sleep  upon,  hardly  tents  enough,  and  only  pie  for  breakfast,  I  think 
it  shows  that  we  need  a  little  business  management  to  help  on  this 
good  work.  I  trust,  Mr.  President,  also,  that  this  Committee, 
which  I  know  will  be  appointed  with  the  earnest  good  will  of  the 
Chamber,  will  do  what  they  can  to  supplement  the  kind  of  work 
that  was  done  by  the  Sanitary  Commission  during  the  war.  We 
need  that  kind  of  cheerful  help,  and  I  know  that  there  are  men 
here  who  will  gladly  give  of  money  and  time  arid  influence  in 
every  helpful  way  to  carry  it  on.  I  very  cordially  second  this 
motion.  [Applause.] 

SPEECH    OF   THE    HON.    ABBAM    S.    HEWITT. 

ME.  PRESIDENT  AND  GENTLEMEN  OP  THE  CHAMBER  OF  COM 
MERCE  :  I  very  cheerfully  respond  to  this  unexpected  call  to  second 
these  resolutions,  although  I  cannot  hope  to  add  anything  to  the 
impressive  force  with  which  they  were  presented  by  President 
Low,  and  have  been  seconded  by  Governor  MORTON  and  Mr. 
DODGE.  I  think,  however,  that  I  may  contribute  one  idea  to  the 
matter,  of  some  importance.  For  twenty-five  years  the  Govern 
ment  of  the  United  States  and  its  people  have  been  trying  to  avoid 
a  war  with  Spain.  In  1873,  after  the  Virginius  outrage,  there 
seemed  to  be  no  possibility  of  the  avoidance  of  war,  and  nothing 
but  the  great  experience  of  President  GRANT  and  the  high  states 
manship  of  HAMILTON  FISH,  enabled  us  then  to  compose  the  issues 
so  that  the  dread  arbitrament  of  war  was  avoided.  I  am  satisfied 
lhat  we  made  a  mistake.  It  would  have  been  better  twenty-five 
years  ago  to  have  settled  our  differences  with  Spain.  They  had 
forfeited  all  right  to  govern  Cuba,  or  any  colonial  possession. 
[Applause.]  You  all  recall  the  manner  in  which  the  good  old 
English  blood  boiled  out  on  the  occasion  when  Captain  LORRAINE 
stepped  in  without  orders  from  his  Government,  and  stopped  the 
further  murder  of  the  Virginius  prisoners.  That  spirit  has  survived 
to  this  day.  We  have  not  forgotten  our  English  brothers,  and  they 


10 


are  not  forgetting  us  in  this  conflict.  [Great  applause.]  The  justi 
fication  for  not  resorting  to  the  final  issue  of  arms  on  that  occasion 
was  this.  While  Spain  had  forfeited  all  right  to  govern  Cuba,  the 
Cubans  had  shown  no  capacity  to  govern  themselves.  To  interfere 
with  an  existing  government  without  the  ability  to  provide  a  stable 
and  satisfactory  substitute,  is  a  thing  which  no  nation  ought  ever 
to  assume  to  do.  The  United  States  never  desired  the  possession  of 
Cuba.  Its  statesmen  have  always  desired  to  avoid  the  complica 
tions  which  will  come  from  its  annexation  to  the  United  States.  I 
know,  as  I  happened  then  to  be  a  member  of  the  Committee  on 
Foreign  Affairs  in  the  subsequent  Congress— I  know  how  carefully 
the  question  was  discussed  and  considered,  and  that  the  solution  of 
the  Virginius  difficulty  was  deemed  to  be  the  wisest  that  could 
have  been  made  at  that  time,  because  it  relieved  us  of  responsibility 
for  the  government  of  Cuba.  The  same  spirit  of  consideration  for 
Spain  has  uniformly  prevailed.  You  remember  that  President 
CLEVELAND  gave  notice,  in  his  last  message,  that  unless  something 
was  done  to  satisfy  the  public  opinion  of  the  people  of  the  United 
States  that  a  just  and  stable  government  would  be  formed  in  Cuba, 
the  people  of  the  United  States  would  be  compelled  to  interfere. 
This  notice  was  renewed  by  President  McKiNLEY  in  his  inaugural 
address.  The  trouble  has  been  that  Spain  has  never  realized  that 
the  people  of  this  country  were  in  earnest.  There  would  have  been 
no  war  to-day  if  they  could  have  been  made  to  understand  the 
spirit  which  animates  the  people  of  this  country  in  reference  to 
governmental  oppression— a  spirit  which  we  have  inherited  from 
our  revolutionary  ancestors.  They  never  could  be  made  to  under 
stand  that  we  do  not  desire  to  add  to  our  territorial  possessions  and 
our  responsibilities.  Even  now  every  communication  which  comes 
from  Spain  is  based  upon  the  idea  that  this  country  is  trying 
and  has  been  trying  for  twenty-five  years  to  acquire  Cuba  as  a 
part  of  its  domain.  There  is  no  way  of  ever  removing  this  false 
impression,  except  when  the  final  victory  comes,  and  the  abuses  of 
that  obsolete— I  was  going  to  say  civilization,  but  I  will  not  degrade 
the  term  civilization  by  the  use  of  that  word— that  obsolete  power 
have  passed  away,  then  they  will  be  made  to  see  that  neither  the 
Government  of  this  country  nor  the  people  of  this  country  will 
take  advantage  of  the  situation  to  add  one  foot  of  territory  to  its 
already  ample  domain.  [Great  applause.]  Then  we  shall  stand 
justified  before  the  world.  Then  the  verdict  of  history,  to  which 
President  Low  has  turned  with  such  confidence,  will  show  that  not 
only  the  President  of  the  United  States,  but  the  Congress  of  the 


11 

United  States  and  the  people  of  the  United  States  have  had  but  one 
object  in  this  great  controversy,  and  that  is  to  see  that  justice  is 
done,  even  though  the  heavens  shall  fall.  [Great  applause.] 

THE  PBESIDENT. — I  will  now  put  the  question  upon  the  resolu 
tions  offered  by  President  Low.  Those  in  favor  of  their  adoption 
will  please  say  aye  ;  those  opposed,  no. 

The  resolutions  were  declared  unanimously  adopted. 

The  following  gentlemen  were  subsequently  appointed  the  Com 
mittee  authorized  by  the  third  resolution  : 

ALEXANDER  E.  ORR,  JOHN  S.  KENNEDY, 

SETH  Low,  JOHN  CLAFLIN, 

LEVI  P.  MORTON,  RICHARD  A.  McCuRDY, 

J.  PIERPONT  MORGAN,  JOHN  A.  McCALL, 

ABRAM  S.  HEWITT,  SAMUEL  D.  BABCOCK, 

CARL  SCHURZ,  JOHN  CROSBY  BROWN, 

WHITELAW  REID,  JOHN  HARSEN  RHOADES, 

JOHN  A.  STEWART,  AUGUST  BELMONT, 

CHARLES  S.  FAIRCHILD,  WILLIAM  L.  STRONG, 

WILLIAM  E.  DODGE,  THOMAS  T.  ECKERT, 

JOHN  SLOANE,  JOHN  D.  ROCKEFELLER, 

MORRIS  K.  JESUP,  WILLIAM  L.  TRENHOLM, 

CHARLES  S.  SMITH,  HENRY  B.  HYDE, 

J.  EDWARD  SIMMONS,  HENRY  W.  CANNON, 

JACOB  H.  SCHIFF,  ISIDOR  STRAUS. 


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